Trump administration in 'direct contact with Venezuelan military and urging defections', says White House official

Donald Trump’s administration is holding direct talks with members of the Venezuelan military and urging them to abandon president Nicolas Maduro, according to a new report. Two weeks after opposition politician Juan Guaido declared himself Venezuela’s president and a succession of countries, including the US, recognised him as its “legitimate” leader, a White House official said it was speaking with members of the armed forces and hoping for more defections. The official also said Mr Trump was preparing new sanctions against Mr Maduro’s government.